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International Brigade to Fight against Media Terrorism Founded

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Brigade participants at the exhibition of the ICAP communication products.

Photo: Raúl Pupo

The First International Brigade to Fight against Media Terrorism was founded on Monday at the Julio Antonio Mella International Camp in Caimito in an act lead by the president of the Cuban Friendship Institute (ICAP), Kenia Serrano.

The brigade is made up of 58 friends from 19 countries and will host documentary screenings, art and photograph exhibitions on the Cuban Five, conferences on Cuba and exchanges between media professionals.

The main objective of group is to raise awareness about the case of five Cuban antiterrorists who have been imprisoned in US jails for more than 12 years now.

The misguided arrest of the Cuban Five in 1998 and the subsequent travesty of justice lead to their convictions on multiple unsubstantiated charges in 2001. The Cuban Five were dedicated to uncovering plots by ultra-rightwing Cuban-American organizations based in Miami with a long record of terrorist actions against Cuba and the Cuban people.

The Cuban 5: imprisoned for uncovering information about US based

In a trial plagued with irregularities and held in a highly biased Miami court, the Cuban Five —Gerardo Hernández, Ramón Labañino, Fernando González, Antonio Guerrero and René González— were given harsh sentences ranging from 15 years to consecutive life terms plus 15 years. The five Cubans were working to uncover information about terrorist activities being planned and carried out against Cuba by ultra-rightwing organizations based in southern Florida with a long record of terrorist actions against Cuba and the Cuban people. When they turned their information over to authorities they were arrested and have been in jail ever since.

In her opening words, Kenia Serrano said that the creation of the brigade is a continuation of the Sixth International Symposium on Freedom for the Five and against Terrorism, and part of the series of actions organized by ICAP to commemorate their 50th anniversary.

Also participating in the act was the Minister of Justice from Lao, Chaleune Yiapaoher, who is also the president of the Laos-Cuba friendship association.